Optimising the environmental benefits of emission reductions from UK coal- and oil-fired power stations: a critical loads approach

This paper describes a method for determining reductions of SO₂ emissions from coal- and oil-fired power stations, oil refineries and large industrial units in the UK taking into account their pollution potential. The method is based on the use of two gridded data sets: critical loads, which represent the sensitivity of the environment to acid deposition and modelled estimates of total (wet + dry) sulphur deposition for 646 point sources within the UK. An iterative method is used to identify and subsequently reduce emissions from point sources that contribute most to areas of critical loads exceedance. This paper demonstrates how the method may be used to determine an optimal allocation of emissions across the UK which yields the maximum amount of environmental protection per unit of emission.The paper then goes on to consider the changes that will have to take place within the UK power generation industry in order to meet the revised EC Large Combustion Plant Directive which comes into force on 1 January 2008. Particular emphasis is placed upon proposed emissions trading schemes and the environmental implications of allowing trading between stations with high and low pollution potentials. The paper concludes by suggesting that the emissions trading process should take into account the pollution potential of each source, irrespective of whether the proposed emission is within the plant's agreed emission limit. An approach based entirely on minimizing environmental damage rather than one which takes cost into account, as in current integrated assessment modelling, could provide an interesting approach across the rest of Europe.     

New eco-friendly proposal for the crystallization of beet raw juice

In the past years we evaluated different strategies with the aim of eliminating completely from the beet sugar factory, the traditional calco-carbonic purification process taking into account the well-known problems related to the utilization of lime and the production of carbonation sludge.To complete the picture of the possible solutions to be adopted for the elimination of the traditional purification process, we tested and evaluated in laboratory and in pilot plants a new eco-friendly proposal.The results obtained, as well as the proposed flow-sheet and some economic evaluations, are presented and discussed.     

The market-incentive recycling system for waste packaging containers in Taiwan

This paper presents a new market-incentive (MI) system to recycle waste-packaging containers in Taiwan. Since most used packaging containers have no or insufficient market value, the government imposes a combined product charge and subsidy policy to provide enough economic incentive for recycling various kinds of packaging containers, such as iron, aluminum, paper, glass and plastic. Empirical results show that the new MI approach has stimulated and established the recycling market for waste-packaging containers. The new recycling system has provided 18,356 employment opportunities and generated NT$ 6.97 billion in real-production value and NT$ 3.18 billion in real GDP during the 1998 survey year. Cost-effectiveness analysis constitutes the theoretical foundation of the new scheme, whereas data used to compute empirical product charge are from two sources: marketing surveys of internal conventional costs of solid-waste collection, disposal and recycling in Taiwan, and benefit transfer of external environmental costs in the United States. The new recycling policy designed by the authors provides a reasonable solution for solid-waste management in a country with limited land resources such as Taiwan.     

牲畜对非洲撒哈拉以南地区食品保障、 贫困缓解和环境可持续性的贡献评论

与人们往往吃太多动物产品的发达国家不同，非洲撒哈拉以南地区的人口多半吃太少这种类型的食品来获得良好营养.非洲撒哈拉以南地区预计的牲畜需求量增加，将对食品保障和贫困缓解产生重要影响.牲畜对达到农业生产率和可持续性目标来说是至关重要的.作为农作物种植-牲畜养殖混合体系的组成部分，它们在环境无害生产体系的发展中发挥决定性作用.在牲畜产生负面环境影响的地方，这可能是由于政策失真和执法不力所致.     

牲畜对非洲撒哈拉以南地区食品保障、 贫困缓解和环境可持续性的贡献评论

与人们往往吃太多动物产品的发达国家不同,非洲撒哈拉以南地区的人口多半吃太少这种类型的食品来获得良好营养.非洲撒哈拉以南地区预计的牲畜需求量增加,将对食品保障和贫困缓解产生重要影响.牲畜对达到农业生产率和可持续性目标来说是至关重要的.作为农作物种植-牲畜养殖混合体系的组成部分,它们在环境无害生产体系的发展中发挥决定性作用.在牲畜产生负面环境影响的地方,这可能是由于政策失真和执法不力所致.     

Ecological modelling Internet resources

Internet resources are grouped into registers and sources of ecological models (6 addresses), sources of documents (7), sources of data (5), initiatives (5), societies (4), journals (4) frequently asked questions (7), extensive list of links to Web pages (4), search engines (5) and Usenet groups (10). At present, Internet resources are not replacing classical libraries but should be considered as complementary sources of information.